Description
Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Molasses Sugar Butter Cookies are luscious, chewy cookies with a perfect balance of warm spices and deep molasses flavor. Clarified and browned butter lends a nutty richness, while a coating of superfine sugar adds a delightful crunch. These soft, crackled cookies are ideal for holiday baking or anytime you crave a comforting treat with an old-fashioned twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Mixture:
- 150 grams (10 1/2 tablespoons or 1 stick plus 2 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 60 grams (3 tablespoons) light molasses, preferably Grandma’s brand
Dry Ingredients:
- 204 grams (1 3/4 cups minus 1 tablespoon, lightly spooned into cup and leveled) bleached all-purpose flour
- 8.2 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) baking soda
- 3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Sugar:
- 125 grams (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) superfine sugar (for dough mix)
- 24 grams (2 tablespoons) superfine sugar (for rolling dough balls)
Egg:
- 35 ml (2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, or 3/4 large egg)
Instructions
- Clarify and Brown the Butter: In a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, melt the butter while stirring often. Increase heat to low and boil, stirring constantly, until the milk solids become a deep brown. Immediately pour the browned butter into a 1 cup glass measure, scraping in the browned solids. Allow to cool to room temperature, no higher than 80°F (27°C).
- Measure the Egg: In a small bowl or 1 cup measure, weigh or measure the 3/4 large egg and cover with plastic wrap.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger until well combined.
- Make the Dough – Step 1: In a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the browned butter (with solids), sugar, molasses, and egg on low speed for 1 minute until combined.
- Make the Dough – Step 2: Add the dry flour mixture gradually, starting on lowest speed to moisten, then raise to low and beat for 30 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Scrape the dough onto plastic wrap and divide into two equal portions (about 281 grams each). Wrap both in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- Preheat Oven: Position an oven rack at the middle level and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Prepare Sugar for Rolling: Place 2 tablespoons superfine sugar in a small bowl for rolling the dough balls.
- Form Dough Balls: Remove one portion of dough from refrigerator. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon (23 grams) to portion out 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1 1/4 inch ball with your palms.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each dough ball well in the superfine sugar to coat evenly. Place balls at least 1 1/2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheet for even baking. Continue baking 4 to 6 more minutes until cookies crack on top and feel soft in the center when lightly pressed. Avoid overbaking to maintain chewiness.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the cookie sheet to a wire rack and cool cookies for 3 to 5 minutes until firm enough to transfer. Use a thin spatula to move cookies to another wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will crisp on outside but remain chewy inside.
- Repeat for Second Batch: Repeat forming, rolling, baking, and cooling steps with the second half of the dough.
- Store Cookies: Store cookies airtight at room temperature up to 7 days, refrigerated for 2 weeks, or frozen for 3 months.
- Baking Tips: Use browned butter cooled below 80°F to ensure proper spreading and crack formation. Clarified butter is essential for correct texture; use grade AA butter. Superfine sugar gives an even crunch; turbinado sugar can be used for sparkle. Refrigerating dough keeps baking soda inactive until baking, ensuring uniform cookies. Dough freezes well but may yield larger, flatter cookies if baked later.
Notes
- Use unsalted, grade AA butter for best flavor and correct browned butter yield.
- Cool browned butter below 80°F (27°C) to ensure proper cookie texture and crack development.
- Superfine sugar is preferred for rolling to give a delicate crunchy surface, but turbinado sugar works for added sparkle.
- Divide dough and refrigerate halves separately to keep dough firm and baking soda inactive until baking for uniform results.
- Dough can be frozen before baking; baked cookies from frozen dough may be larger and flatter.
- Do not overbake; cookies should still feel soft in the center when removed from oven for ideal chewy texture.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizing to ensure uniform baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 28 grams)
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
